The New York Botanical Garden's floral show Van Gogh's Flowers is inspired by the genius of the iconic artist Vincent van Gogh. Photo by Jody Mercier
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The Parade of Ships is always a highlight of Fleet Week in NYC. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bradley Rickard
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Vinland Playground got a fresh upgrade in Bay Ridge. Photo by NYC Parks/Daniel Avila
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29 Best Things To Do in NYC October 2024 with Kids

The Princess and the Pea lands at the New Victory Theater this month. Photo by Foteini Christofilopoulou/courtesy of the theater
The Princess and the Pea lands at the New Victory Theater this month. Photo by Foteini Christofilopoulou/courtesy of the theater
9/29/24 - By Drew Kristofik

In October, New York City is crawling with pumpkin patches, haunted houses, fall festivals, and of course trick-or-treating—so many opportunities to wear Halloween costumes! But Halloween isn't the only game in town in October...

We're super psyched for all the other glorious shenanigans October has in store, including the new (non-lethal) Squid Game: The Experience, Diwali in Times Square, The Princess and the Pea at The New Victory, and the new Barbie exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design.

Of course, Halloween lurks at month's end, and, never fear, we have you covered when it comes to FREE Halloween fun, including a Mommy Poppins + Seaport Kids Halloween party. Find all our top picks for the spooky season in our New York City Halloween Guide.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

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OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Head to Historic Richmond Town for its annual Old Home Day on Saturday, October 19. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town
Head to Historic Richmond Town for its annual Old Home Day on Saturday, October 19. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town

Best Things To Do in NYC this October with Kids

Maker Faire on Coney Island

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
Head to Coney Island for hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, and workshops in fields such as robotics, crafts, engineering, art, music, 3D-printing, and future technologies, designed by students, teachers, and independent folks who build interesting things. READ MORE

Seussical Jr. The Musical at The Secret Theatre

Wo0dside, Queens
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical Jr., a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.    READ MORE

Queens Agricultural Fair at the Queens County Farm Museum

Floral Park, Queens
Saturday, October 5-Sunday, October 6, 2024
Get a little bit country at the Queens Agricultural Fair! Enjoy pie-eating and corn-husking contests, hayrides, carnival rides, and midway games. Visit the main stage and family entertainment tents featuring live music and theatrical performances, check out local craft and food vendors, and more.  READ MORE

Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine

Morningside Heights – FREE
Sunday, October 6, 2024
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes families for a day of music, prayer, joy, blessings, and fun in honor of Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment. READ MORE

45th Precinct Fall Festival

Throggs Neck, the Bronx
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Celebrate autumn with NYPD units, including K9, Mounted, and ESU, climb the NYPD rock wall, and play in the game truck. Pumpkin painting, bounce houses, games, giveaways, and a costume contest are on the schedule, too! READ MORE

Mother Goose at 92Y

Upper East Side
Opens Sunday, October 6, 2024
The 92nd Street Y presents this distinctly contemporary retelling of the well-known nursery rhymes in an enchanting, playful, utterly unique musical story (based on the bestselling book by Kobi Yamada) about the transformative power of creativity — made just for kids. READ MORE

Anti-Racist Family Day at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn – FREE
Thursday, October 10, 2024
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosts its fourth annual Anti-Racist Family Day in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library. Participants learn about age-appropriate anti-racist practices, including celebrating and affirming different races and identities, talking about injustice and fairness in our society, and modeling ways young children can engage in activism.   READ MORE

Festival of Firsts: Farah Siraj at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side – FREE
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Farah Siraj and her band perform selections from her soon-to-be-released EP for the first time, fusing Middle Eastern music, flamenco, jazz, bossa, and pop. Siraj’s songs are sung in Arabic, English, and Spanish. READ MORE

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, October 12, 2024
The world's most famous ice rink opens for the season. Grab your ice skates and your reservations, so you can take a spin on this iconic ice skating rink.  READ MORE

Squid Game: The Experience

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, October 12, 2024
Squid Game: The Experience is the ultimate test of survival, strategy, and skill as you go head to head with other contestants in a series of challenges masterminded by the infamous Front Man. Let the games begin. READ MORE

Fall Fest at the Atlantic Terminal Mall

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn – FREE
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Brooklyn Bridge Parents hosts a family festival with arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, music, and more! Kids are encouraged to come in costume. READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day on Randall's Island

Randall's Island – FREE
Sunday, October 13-Monday, October 14, 2024
Head to Randall's Island for a celebration of NYC's indigenous people. This two-day fest includes performances of spoken word, live music, and guest speakers. Food and wares are available for purchase. READ MORE

Columbus Day Parade

Midtown West
Monday, October 14, 2024
The 80th Columbus Day Parade processes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street—with red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets—including high school bands, professional musicians, folk dance troupes, floats, and more.  READ MORE

Fuge Fantasi at Carnegie Hall

Midtown West – FREE
Tuesday, October 15-Saturday, October 19, 2024
Carnegie Hall invites families and their little ones to Fuge Fantasi, a magical interactive performance created and presented by the Norwegian musical theater and dance company dybwkidans. READ MORE

New York Comic Con - SOLD OUT

Midtown West
Thursday, October 17-Sunday, October 20, 2024
Cosplay, anime, story-telling, and more are on the agenda for NYC's annual comic convention. Kids' day—geared toward ages 6-12—is Sunday, October 20. READ MORE

Open House New York

Citywide – FREE
Friday, October 18-Sunday, October 20, 2024
This year's Open House NYC once again offers a hybrid of virtual experiences, self-guided explorations, and in-person tours. Enjoy food trucks, pop-up eateries, outdoor activations, and more. READ MORE

Old Home Day at Historic Richmond Town

Richmond, Staten Island
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Head to Historic Richmond Town for the annual Old Home Day. Visitors can witness historic trade demonstrations like blacksmithing, tinsmithing, carpentry, cabinet-making, and more. Enjoy music, food, crafts, and sweet treats.  READ MORE

Sound & Color! Autumn Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn – FREE
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Sound & Color! Autumn in New York fall festival, an afternoon packed with music, arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more.    READ MORE

Young People’s Concert: The Future is Unity at Geffen Hall

Upper West Side
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Looking at the many experiences of the African diaspora informs how we perceive ourselves and others, and it gives us clues as to how we might move forward — collectively. READ MORE

Diwali at Times Square

Midtown West
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Billed as "the largest Indian Festival outside India," Diwali at Times Square features cultural performances, folk dances, concerts, Indian food, Indian clothing and jewels, Henna/Mehandi artists, balloon figures, and face painting plus free gifts and raffle drawings.   READ MORE

The Princess and the Pea at the New Victory Theater

Midtown West
Select dates, Saturday, October 19-Sunday, October 27, 2024
Disheveled from a rainstorm and forced to prove herself to her faithful servants, a pampered princess learns a lesson in humility—with the help of one pesky pea! A marvel of mattress-springing acrobatics and physical comedy, The Princess and the Pea leaps to life with queen-sized charm and nary a word. READ MORE

Barbie: A Cultural Icon at Museum of Arts & Design

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, October 19, 2024
Barbie: A Cultural Icon charts the 65-year history of Barbie and the doll’s global impact on fashion and popular culture through an expansive display of more than 250 vintage dolls, life-size fashion designs, advertisements, and other ephemera, along with exclusive video interviews with the doll's designers.  READ MORE

Emanu-El Makers: Sukkot Edition at Genius Gems

Chelsea
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Spend the afternoon tinkering at Genius Gems. Snack in a Magna-Tile sukkah, build amazing structures, shake that lulav and etrog, and enjoy STEAM activities with glitter galore! READ MORE

Grand Opening of Winter Village at Bryant Park

Midtown West
Opens Friday, October 25, 2024
Bryant Park braces for winter with the official launch of its 24th annual Winter Village. That means one of NYC's favorite, FREE ice skating rinks is ready to make its season debut, too. Enjoy a twirl on the ice, peruse the holiday shops, and enjoy a snack at the Lodge Deck.  READ MORE

Halloween Extravaganza and Procession of the Ghouls at St. John the Divine - SOLD OUT

Morningside Heights
Friday, October 25-Saturday, October 26, 2024
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine's beloved annual Halloween celebration returns! Following the screening of Lon Chaney's 1926 film, The Phantom of the Opera, with live organ accompaniment, ghouls and goblins from the Mettawee River Theater Company emerge to scare and delight audiences. READ MORE

Seaport Kids: Halloween Block Party

South Street Seaport – FREE
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Front and Fulton Streets transform into a massive Halloween-themed block party for kids 2-10 with live music, bubble shows, face painting, costume contests, pumpkin decorating and more.  READ MORE

Halloween on the Harlem Meer: Pumpkin Flotilla

Harlem – FREE
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
The Harlem Meer comes alive as the sun sets in this annual Halloween favorite. Hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns both spooky and sweet set sail at dusk in New York City's largest pumpkin flotilla. READ MORE

The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail at the New York Botanical Garden

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Saturday, November 30, 2024
Join Jack Skellington, Sally, and Zero on a walk of wonders, as your favorite characters, scenes, and songs from the immortal film The Nightmare Before Christmas come to life in New York's most treasured garden. READ MORE

Best Halloween Events in NYC for Kids and Families

Citywide
Multiple Dates
The spooky season is upon us and these are the must-do's in NYC this Halloween. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Citywide and online
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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